The Scottish Road Less Traveled

When you first arrive in Scotland, especially if you’re coming from afar, you’ll feel like a child in a candy store. A whole country of new experiences lies spread out before you, tempting you with promises of spectacular scenery, magnificent wildlife, and a history that stretches back millennia. Get ready to explore the Scottish road less traveled.

Your initial adventures might lead you along the well-trodden paths of countless other visitors. You can drive through the sweeping valleys of Glencoe, famous for its big-screen appearances in Highlander, Skyfall, and several of the Harry Potter movies. Exploring the fairy pools and glens of the Isle of Skye or ticking off a tour of Edinburgh Castle from your bucket list are also exceptional experiences highly recommended to anyone.

However, as you pass laybys packed with campervans in the west of the country or jostle shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists on the capital’s ramparts, you might wonder if there’s a more authentic way to experience Scotland. With this goal in mind, consider poring over a map and picking a destination off the beaten track: Pittenweem, a tiny village on the East Neuk coast. Its amusing name and eastern location make it a conscious move away from the crowds.

You’ll find that accommodation options are rather minimal in Pittenweem, but it’s a promising sign of fewer tourists. If you’re planning a comfortable getaway and you have small children, you might consider Brackness House, a B&B located a just few minutes’ drive from Pittenweem on the outskirts of neighboring Anstruther.

These parts are quite unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, and your first indication that you’ve chosen somewhere special might come as your host contacting you before your arrival to ask if you’d be comfortable letting yourself in since they have tickets to a play.

In a world where people often keep their guard up, it might feel alien that someone would leave a key for strangers to access their home in their absence. But embrace this kind gesture of trust and set out on a wet and windy evening toward the East Neuk.

The Neuk (a Scots word meaning “nook” or “corner”) is a peninsula on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth, stretching roughly between the towns of Elie and Earlsferry and Kingsbarns. A network of narrow country roads serves the area, so you might arrive in the dark with a sense of adventure. Upon reaching Brackness House, you’ll be greeted by stone-walled Victorian grandeur and can collapse into a generous family room equipped with one of the most comfortable beds you’ve ever slept in—which is a good thing, given all the adventures you’ve yet to tick off your Scottish itinerary.

Pack your bags and get ready to experience the Scottish road less traveled.